Walking out of the lodge this morning, I was left with a sense of dread deep in my stomach. I looked around for my dad, knowing that he wasn’t back from Santa Fe yet, but after whatever just happened to Marcus in there, I guess it was just an automatic response. The cold January air came as a welcome relief after the suddenly stuffy feel of the lodge. I took a deep breath, hoping the fresh mountain air would ease the tightness in my chest. I think it would have worked too if Scarlett’s delicious scent didn’t tag along with it. That scent brought back memories of last night, and I had to fight the smile that was creeping across my face. I turned around and watched as Scarlett and her brother walked out of the lodge. When our eyes met, all the fight in the world couldn’t have erased the goofy grin on my face.
My feet started moving toward her without my consent. I quickly tried to think of something to say, something that wouldn’t sound awkward after what had happened between us last night, but of course my muddled brain failed me.
“Luke, man, how are you holding up? That looks painful,” Gavin said, reminding me of the gash on my face. I had forgotten all about it.
“Nah, it’s fine really,” I responded and then turned my attention to Scarlett. “Thanks again for patching me up last night.”
She smiled sheepishly, but before she could answer, Gavin patted me on the back and said, “Well, glad to see you’re okay. I’ll catch you later, man.” He took off after his father, who seemed to be headed toward his car.
Scarlett and I stood there for an awkward moment, neither of us saying a word. I was searching for something to say when thankfully she spoke first. “Are you really okay?” she asked, lightly touching my right cheek. My eyes closed as her soft fingers trailed down the side of my face. I didn’t understand, nor did I completely accept whatever was going on between us, but I knew that I had no choice but to give into it. I had never been physically stronger in my life, but standing here with Scarlett, with her tenderly touching my face, I was as weak as a newborn pup.
Fortunately, Cade walked over and saved me from making an ass out of myself. Her touch was testing the limits of my self-control. “Hey Luke, do you know where your dad’s at? I can’t find him anywhere.”
Scarlett tried to excuse herself and give us some privacy, but I took her hand and kept her by my side. “Yeah, he went to Santa Fe for New Year’s. He said that he would be back early, but I guess he’s running late. I’ll give him a call so he knows what’s going on, but he should be back soon. Want me to send him over when I see him?”
“Thanks. I don’t know what the hell happened in there,” he admitted. He was worried, whether he’d admit it or not. There was a tick in his jaw and his fists were clenched down by his side as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.
“Is your father okay now?” Scarlett asked.
“He seems fine now. I think he’s just confused about it, you know. He’s never lost control like that,” he explained. “Luke, about last night, I have to thank you, man. And apologize. Things got out of hand. I can’t even begin to think about what would have happened if you weren’t there, and I’m so sorry to have put you in that situation.”
“It’s fine, really,” I lied.
“No, it’s not. I know how hard that was for you. Things have been so tense between Aiden and me lately. It didn’t even occur to me how weird this whole thing must be for you, and it should have. So, I’m sorry, really, for all of it,” he insisted and held out his hand.
I didn’t say anything as I shook his hand, though I didn’t think Cade was expecting me to anyway. He politely said his goodbyes and walked away, leaving Scarlett and me standing in the same unnerving situation we were in when he walked over—except now I was holding her hand.
Remembering that I wasn’t going to fight this thing between us anymore, I pulled her into my arms for a quick hug. “Are you busy later?”
She paused for a moment before wrapping her arms around me and saying that she was free for the rest of the day…and night.